chapter seven:
❛ electric love ❜

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!!
COMMENT AND VOTE

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The hospital alarms wailed, a deafening signal that something was catastrophically wrong. The harsh, red emergency lights cast eerie shadows across the room, where Bob stood with his hands on both Mike and Scarlett's shoulders, trying to steady them amidst the chaos.

Mike and Scarlett exchanged a glance, a shared realization dawning between them. "We're too late," Scarlett murmured, her voice barely audible over the blaring alarms.

"What?" Bob asked, his eyes wide with confusion.

"We're too late!" Mike suddenly shouted, his face pale with fear. Without another word, he grabbed Scarlett's hand, pulling her toward Will's hospital room. The two darted down the corridor, their footsteps echoing off the walls as Bob struggled to keep up.

When they burst into Will's room, Joyce's worried expression deepened. "What's going on?" she demanded, her voice trembling.

"We're under attack," Mike revealed, his words grim and final. Scarlett nodded in agreement, her eyes scanning the room frantically. Her gaze landed on a syringe on the counter, and an idea struck her.

"Mike," she snapped her fingers, pointing at the syringe. Mike quickly understood, grabbing it and holding it up for Joyce to see.

"We need to make Will sleep," Mike said urgently, his eyes locking with Joyce's. Her face twisted in disbelief and confusion.

"What?" she asked, her voice filled with skepticism.

"He's a spy! If he knows where we are, we're dead meat. Literally!" Scarlett exclaimed, her voice laced with urgency. Her words hit Joyce like a punch, and she looked to Will for some confirmation, some sign that this was all a misunderstanding.

Will's eyes flared with anger and desperation. "She's lying! She's lying!" he shouted, his voice filled with a frantic energy that only made Scarlett more certain. The electricity began to course through her veins, an uncontrollable force that surged in response to her emotions.

"She's not lying," Mike added, his voice steady. "He killed those soldiers! He'll kill us too!" Scarlett's voice wavered, the power inside her making it difficult to maintain control. Joyce looked between Mike and Scarlett, searching for any sign that they might be wrong, but the fear in their eyes was undeniable.

Joyce hesitated for just a moment before nodding, a reluctant acceptance in her gaze. Will began thrashing in his bed, his body seized by terror. "They're both lying! They're both lying!" he screamed, his voice cracking under the strain.

Scarlett closed her eyes, trying to calm herself, but the electricity continued to build, crackling around her fists like caged lightning. She didn't want to hurt Will, but the energy within her responded to her fear, her anger, and her desperation. It was a defense mechanism, something she could barely control.

"Mike!" she shouted, stepping back as the blue electricity began to surround her body, arcing off her skin in violent bursts. "Do something before I get out of control! I can't control it!"

Mike's heart raced as he watched Scarlett struggle. The crackling energy around her was growing more intense by the second, and he knew that if she lost control, it would be disastrous.

Suddenly, the sharp crack of gunfire echoed down the halls, followed by the distant screams of people in the throes of terror. Bob's eyes widened as he turned towards the sound. "Those are gunshots!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with horror.

Scarlett's nose began to bleed as she fought to contain the energy within her. "Holy shit," Bob muttered under his breath, his gaze fixed on the flickering blue energy surrounding Scarlett.

Scarlett gritted her teeth, the effort to hold back her powers taking a physical toll. "Okay, knock him out," she finally managed to say, her voice strained. "I'm going to check out what's going on."

Without waiting for a response, Scarlett turned toward the door. Mike wanted to stop her, to tell her it was too dangerous, but before he could, she unleashed a blast of electricity, shattering the door and sending shards of wood flying into the hallway. She strode through the shattered remains, her fists still crackling with power.

The hospital halls were a scene of utter chaos. People ran in all directions, their screams filling the air. As Scarlett moved forward, she suddenly stopped, her eyes widening in horror. Emerging from the shadows was a creature like nothing she had ever seen before—a monstrous dog-like beast with no head, its body a grotesque flower of razor-sharp teeth. It screeched at her, the sound piercing and unnatural.

Scarlett screamed in terror and instinctively lashed out, sending a bolt of electricity straight at the creature. It shrieked as the energy hit, but more of the creatures began emerging from the shadows, surrounding her. Scarlett's heart pounded in her chest as she realized she was outnumbered. She clenched her fists tighter, drawing on every ounce of power within her. With a scream, she released it all, sending a massive wave of electricity blasting outward. The creatures were flung against the walls, their bodies disintegrating into dust.

But the effort was too much. Scarlett's vision blurred, and her legs gave out beneath her. She collapsed onto the cold hospital floor, unconscious.

Hopper and Dr. Owens, who had been searching for survivors, rounded the corner just as Scarlett fell. Hopper's eyes widened in alarm. "Scarlett!" he shouted, rushing to her side. He scooped her up in his arms, his face a mask of concern.

"Is she okay?" Mike asked when they finally made it back to Will's room, his voice thick with worry.

"She's fine," Dr. Owens assured him. "She drained herself out."

Hopper set Scarlett down gently as a loud banging echoed through the halls, the creatures trying to break through the doors. Hopper's instincts kicked in. "We gotta go! We gotta go!" he shouted. He turned to Mike, who was still looking at Scarlett with worry.

"Can you carry her? She's very light," Hopper asked. Mike nodded, quickly scooping Scarlett up into his arms. Despite everything, he was surprised by how light she was, as if the energy she wielded also sustained her physically.

Hopper carried Will, now unconscious, while Mike cradled Scarlett as the group raced through the chaotic hospital halls. The screams of the dying and the constant sound of gunfire filled their ears, but they pushed forward, driven by the need to survive. They didn't stop until they found a small room nearby, rushing inside and barricading the door behind them.

Hopper gently placed Will on a table while Mike sat on the ground, laying Scarlett's head in his lap. He stroked her hair gently, his fingers trembling with fear. "Please, wake up. We need you, Scar," Mike muttered, a tear slipping down his cheek and landing on her pale face.

Despite the chaos around them, Mike managed a small smile as he realized Scarlett was still wearing his jacket. The sight brought him a fleeting moment of comfort. He pulled his sleeve down and began wiping the blood from her nose and ears, trying to clean her up as best as he could.

"Oh, my God," Bob's voice broke the silence, and Mike looked up, startled. Bob was staring at the monitors, his face drained of color.

On the screens, they could see the horrific scenes unfolding in the hospital—people being slaughtered by the monstrous creatures, their lifeless bodies strewn across the halls. The lights in the room flickered before plunging them into darkness.

"Was that Scarlett?" Hopper asked, his voice a mixture of fear and suspicion.

Mike shook his head, panic creeping into his voice. "No... she's passed out and not moving." He hesitated, then touched Scarlett's neck to check her pulse. His heart sank when he felt how faint it was. "No... no! She's fading!" he exclaimed, his voice rising in desperation.

Hopper and Joyce snapped to attention, horror spreading across their faces. "What?" Joyce asked, her voice cracking.

"The electricity is drained out of her! We need to shock her with electricity!" Mike's voice was frantic, his eyes wide with fear.

Hopper stared at him in disbelief. "That sounds like bullshit," he snapped, not willing to believe such a far-fetched idea.

But Dr. Owens shook his head. "No, he's right. She drained herself killing those things, and she's been using a lot of her energy. She needs to be shocked," he explained, his tone serious.

Hopper looked at him, searching for any sign of doubt but found none. "Where can we find a defibrillator?" Hopper asked urgently.

Owens pointed to a device on the wall behind them. "There," he said.

Hopper moved quickly, grabbing the defibrillator paddles while Joyce turned the machine on. Hopper placed the paddles on Scarlett's chest, his face tight with concentration. "Go," he instructed.

Mike bit his lip, his entire body tense as he watched, tears welling up in his eyes. Hopper shocked Scarlett, her body jerking violently, but she remained unconscious.

"Again," Hopper breathed out, and Joyce turned up the setting, her hands shaking.

Hopper shocked Scarlett again, but there was still no response. He went a third time, but Scarlett's body remained lifeless. Hopper checked her pulse, his face grim.

"I'm sorry, kid. But she's gone," Hopper said quietly, his voice heavy with regret.

Mike's eyes widened, his heart shattering at the words. It felt like the world was crumbling around him. First, El, and now Scarlett? The weight of losing another person

he cared about was too much to bear.

"No... No, NO!" Mike screamed, unable to accept the reality. He pulled Scarlett's lifeless body to his chest, his tears soaking her hair. "You're not gone, you can't be gone! You can't leave me, Scarlett. Please, come back! You're not gone, you're not!" His voice cracked, raw with pain and despair.

Joyce's heart ached as she watched Mike break down, his grief echoing through the small room. It was a gut-wrenching reminder of the losses they had all endured.

Mike stared down at Scarlett's limp body, his heart shattering with every passing second. The world around him blurred as tears streamed down his face, dripping onto her pale cheeks. Desperation clawed at him, and he pressed his lips onto hers, hoping—praying—that somehow she would respond. But there was nothing. Only the cold stillness of her body in his arms.

"Scarlett... please..." Mike choked out, his voice barely more than a whisper as he cradled her close. The weight of her lifeless form was unbearable, pulling him deeper into a pit of despair. He sobbed uncontrollably, clinging to her as if sheer willpower alone could bring her back.

As he continued to cry, something strange began to happen. A faint blue glow flickered around Scarlett, subtle at first, almost imperceptible in Mike's haze of grief. He didn't notice it, too lost in his sorrow, too focused on the girl he loved slipping away.

But the glow grew brighter, a soft pulse of light that started to envelop her entire body. A tingling sensation began to spread from where Scarlett's chest pressed against Mike's, like a gentle hum of electricity vibrating through him. He gasped, jerking back slightly, his tears momentarily pausing as confusion replaced his anguish.

He pulled back, his eyes widening as he saw the blue electricity crackling around Scarlett's body. "Guys... guys, look!" he gasped, hope igniting in his chest.

The others turned, their eyes widening in shock as they saw the glowing light surrounding Scarlett. The electricity grew stronger, and Scarlett's body began to twitch.

Joyce covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes filling with tears of relief. "She's alive," she whispered.

The blue electricity dancing across Scarlett's skin. She took a shuddering breath, her chest rising and falling as life returned to her.

Mike's heart raced as he watched the blue electricity surge through Scarlett's body, her eyes snapping open as she gasped for breath. Relief flooded over him, and he let out a shaky breath, holding her close.

"Scarlett!" Mike exclaimed, his voice breaking with emotion as he looked into her dazed eyes. "You're back... you're okay!"

Scarlett blinked, still trying to process what had just happened. Her body felt like it was on fire, the residual electricity sparking off her skin, but the pain was nothing compared to the sight of Mike's worried face hovering above her.

"Mike... what... what happened?" she whispered, her voice hoarse.

"You passed out after... after taking down those things," Mike explained, his voice trembling. "We thought we lost you. Hopper used the defibrillator to bring you back, but... it didn't work. And then... I don't know, I just... I thought I'd lost you for real."

Scarlett's eyes softened as she reached up to touch Mike's face, her hand still trembling. "You didn't lose me," she whispered, a small smile tugging at her lips despite the exhaustion that weighed her down.

Joyce let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, and Bob's grip on her shoulders loosened slightly. Hopper, though gruff as ever, looked visibly relieved, even if he wouldn't admit it.

"Kid, you gave us all a scare," Hopper muttered, his voice gruff but tinged with concern as he stepped closer, checking Scarlett over with a careful eye.

Scarlett chuckled weakly. "Sorry, Hopper... didn't mean to cause so much drama."

"Well, you've got a knack for it, apparently," Hopper replied, though there was a hint of a smile on his lips.

Owens stepped forward, checking Scarlett's vitals. "You're incredibly lucky, Scarlett. But you need to be careful. Your powers... they're dangerous, especially to yourself if you overuse them."

Scarlett nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I'll be more careful," she promised, though she knew that in the heat of the moment, control might be the last thing on her mind.

Mike still hadn't let go of her, his arms wrapped protectively around her as if he was afraid she might disappear if he let go. Scarlett rested her head against his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible, but Mike heard it loud and clear.

"For what?" he asked, his voice thick with emotion.

"For not giving up on me."

Mike tightened his hold on her, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "Never. I'm not losing you, Scarlett. Not now, not ever."

Scarlett closed her eyes, allowing herself a brief moment of peace in the chaos, knowing that despite everything, she wasn't alone. Not anymore.

Dr. Owens leaned over a large map of the Lab, his finger tracing a line to a circled area. The room was filled with a tense silence as everyone gathered around to see. "Look, this is us," he began, pointing to their current location, "and this is the nearest exit." He paused for a moment, his expression grim. "But even if we somehow make it there, there's no way out."

Hopper, standing close by, narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

Owens sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly under the weight of the situation. "The locks are fail-secure," he explained.

Joyce, already on edge, furrowed her brows in confusion. "Fail-secure?" she repeated, the term unfamiliar to her.

Owens nodded, his voice growing more urgent. "If there's a power outage, the building goes on full lockdown. All the doors, all the exits—everything gets sealed tight. There's no way to override it from inside."

Bob, always the problem-solver, stepped forward with a look of determination. "Can it be unlocked remotely?" he asked, already trying to formulate a plan.

Owens glanced at him and then back at the map. "With a computer, sure, but somebody's gotta reset the breakers first," he explained, tapping a spot on the map. "The breakers are in the basement, three floors down."

Hopper snatched the map from Owens' hand, his frustration mounting. "Where are you going?" Bob asked, watching as Hopper prepared to take action.

"To reset the breakers," Hopper replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Bob wasn't convinced. "Okay, then what?" he asked, knowing there had to be more to it.

Hopper barely glanced at him as he answered, "Then we get the hell out of here."

Bob shook his head, knowing it wasn't that simple. "No, then the power comes back on. If you wanna unlock the doors, you have to reboot the computer system, and then override the security codes with a manual input," he explained, his voice steady despite the rising tension.

Hopper, growing more frustrated, snapped, "Fine, how do I do that?"

Bob let out a scoff, realizing Hopper had no idea what he was asking for. "You can't. Not unless you know BASIC," he said, a hint of disbelief in his tone.

Hopper frowned, completely lost. "I don't know what that means," he admitted, his lack of computer knowledge becoming painfully obvious.

"It's a computer programming language," Mike spoke up, his voice hesitant but clear.

Scarlett, standing beside Mike, couldn't resist a small quip, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "It's nerdy," she commented, flashing a teasing smile at Mike.

Mike shot her a look of mild irritation, but Scarlett simply blew him a playful kiss, her eyes sparkling with mischief despite the dire situation.

Hopper, ignoring the exchange, turned back to Bob with a determined look. "Teach it to me," he demanded, his voice firm.

Bob, exasperated by the impossibility of the request, threw up his hands. "Shall I teach you French while I'm at it, Jim? How about a little German?" he retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He turned to Owens, grasping at straws. "How about you, Doc? You speak BASIC?"

Owens shook his head slowly, his expression one of regret. The room fell into a heavy silence, the reality of their situation sinking in.

Bob let out a deep sigh, realizing the burden now fell squarely on his shoulders. "Okay, I got this," he said, trying to muster the courage he needed.

But before he could take another step, Scarlett let go of Mike's hand and stepped forward, her face set with determination. "Okay, me too," she stated firmly, her voice unwavering as she looked at the adults.

All eyes turned to her, shock and concern etched on every face. "No!" Hopper, Bob, Mike, and Joyce all said in unison, their voices overlapping in a chorus of protest.

Scarlett stood her ground, her gaze steady. "Yes, I am! Those things are gonna kill Bob! I am his protection," she declared, her voice filled with resolve.

Mike, panic rising in his chest, grabbed her arm and turned her around to face him. "No, no! You just died and came back to life because you killed some of those creatures! Not again! You might not come back this time," he pleaded, his voice breaking with emotion, his eyes wide with fear.

Scarlett looked up at him, her expression softening. She reached up and gently cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing against his skin. "Freckles, if I die again, you can bring me back," she reassured him, her voice calm and soothing.

Mike stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest. "How?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, the uncertainty clear in his eyes.

Scarlett gave him a knowing look, her eyes filled with affection. "I know the defibrillator didn't bring me back. It wasn't enough. You kissed me, and the electricity from the defibrillator finally worked. Electric Love," she stated, her tone gentle but certain.

Mike stood there, frozen as the realization washed over him. Scarlett leaned in, her lips brushing against his, and kissed him passionately. For a moment, the chaos around them faded away, and all that existed was the connection between them. Despite everything, Mike kissed her back, pouring all his fear, love, and hope into that kiss.

When Scarlett finally pulled away, she smiled at him, her eyes filled with a quiet strength. She turned to face the adults once more, her resolve unshaken. "Are we gonna do this or not?" she asked, her voice strong and confident, challenging anyone to stop her.

Mike remained standing there, his heart still racing, a small, hopeful smile forming on his lips. He knew that no matter what happened next, Scarlett would fight with everything she had, and he would be right there with her, ready to do whatever it took to protect her.

Scarlett and Bob moved cautiously down the dimly lit stairwell, their footsteps barely audible over the blaring alarms that echoed through the facility. Bob clutched a gun in one hand, a flashlight in the other, and an earpiece connected to Dr. Owens. Scarlett walked beside him, her hands hovering at her sides, fingers twitching as she felt the electricity humming through her veins. Her eyes sparked with blue electricity, casting a faint glow around them.

As they made their way through the labyrinth of hallways, the hiss of escaping air suddenly cut through the noise. Both Scarlett and Bob instinctively ducked as a burst of electricity crackled from a nearby hole in the wall. Without hesitation, Scarlett threw a bolt of electricity at the sparking wires, but as soon as the energy left her hands, everything went dark.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath, feeling a warm trickle of blood running down her nose, a familiar side effect of pushing her powers too far.

"Keep it together, Bob," Bob whispered to himself, trying to steady his nerves. He swept his flashlight around the area until they found another set of doors. They moved through them cautiously, but the sight that greeted them on the other side made Scarlett's breath hitch.

Two dead bodies lay in the middle of the hallway, their lifeless forms twisted in unnatural positions. "Oh, God," Bob muttered, his voice thick with horror. Scarlett stepped over the bodies, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand, despite the rising tide of nausea threatening to overwhelm her.

"Found it," she whispered, spotting the main power switches. Bob quickly joined her, and with a deep breath, he began pulling the switches. One by one, the lights flickered back on, illuminating the cold, sterile corridors.

"Bob, Scarlett, can you hear us?" Owens' voice crackled through the radio. Scarlett handed it to Bob, letting him take the lead.

"Loud and clear, Doc. Can you hear me back?"
Bob replied, holding the button down as he made his way to the computer. Scarlett stood guard, her senses on high alert, tuning out everything but the electric current surging through the facility. She could feel the power flowing around her, feeding into her abilities.

Closing her eyes, she focused, drawing the electricity into her body until it flared visibly around her like an aura. When she opened her eyes, they were no longer their normal color but a solid, vibrant blue, crackling with energy.

Bob was still working at the computer when he suddenly stopped. "What's going on?" he asked into the radio, sensing something was wrong.

"We've got some company," Owens responded, the tension in his voice unmistakable.

"Where?" Bob asked, already dreading the answer.

"The west stairwell," Owens replied.

Bob glanced back at Scarlett, but she was already moving, her mind made up. "I got an idea," Bob said, turning back to the computer, but Scarlett didn't hear him. She was focused solely on the danger ahead.

Scarlett walked briskly to the west stairwell, her pulse quickening as she neared it. As soon as she reached the top of the stairs, she came face-to-face with one of the creatures. It snarled at her, its mouth opening wide in a grotesque scream.

Without hesitation, Scarlett let out a battle cry of her own, thrusting her arm forward as electricity surged from her, lifting the creature into the air. She slammed it into the walls, the ceiling, and finally the floor, each impact sending shockwaves through the corridor. The creature disintegrated into dust, but more were already coming, drawn by the noise.

Scarlett's heart raced as she ran through the facility, using her powers to hurl each creature that lunged at her. The electricity crackled louder with each use, and the strain on her body grew more intense. Finally, she stopped, realizing she was surrounded. The memory of her previous death flashed through her mind, a grim reminder of the cost of overextending her powers.

"Freckles, if you can hear me, please don't let me die again," Scarlett whispered, her voice trembling with fear. Kneeling down, she closed her eyes and summoned every last bit of energy within her. With a guttural scream, she unleashed a massive wave of electricity, the sheer force of it disintegrating every creature around her into dust. But the effort left her gasping for breath, blood pouring from her nostrils. The world spun around her as she stumbled toward the exit, her vision blurring.

As she reached the entrance, Scarlett spotted Mike outside with Hopper and Joyce, who were still inside, screaming in horror. Her eyes darted to Bob, who was now being swarmed by the creatures, their jaws snapping at him.

"No!" Scarlett screamed, but it was too late. Hopper opened fire on the creatures, trying to buy Bob time, but there was nothing more to be done.

Bob was gone.

Scarlett collapsed just as Hopper grabbed her, pulling her outside as Joyce's screams echoed in her ears. He dropped her onto the pavement, and she fell to her knees, the weight of what had just happened crushing her. Mike, who had been holding Will, rushed over, his voice filled with panic. "What the hell happened?!"

"He's gone! He's gone!" Scarlett screamed, her voice breaking as images of Bob's final moments flashed through her mind. Jonathan's car screeched to a halt nearby, and he leaned out of the window, yelling for everyone to get in.

Hopper grabbed Will and hustled him into the car while Mike helped Scarlett to her feet. She was still in shock, her mind replaying the horror over and over again. He guided her to the car, where she spotted Max standing nearby.

"Max!" Scarlett cried out, throwing herself into her sister's arms. Max hugged her tightly, holding her as Scarlett's tears flowed freely.

"Bob — Bob, he's dead, Max," Scarlett sobbed, her voice barely a whisper as the reality of their loss began to sink in. The two sisters clung to each other as the car sped away from the nightmare, leaving behind only the echoes of their grief.

ASH SPEAKS!

what if i said this whole thing is how vecna tries to scarlett in season 4